2009 Season Recap

I’m still in a bit of shock after Sunday’s match because I just didn’t think it was possible that the Timbers would be upset in their playoff run. They seemed to have the perfect combination of offense, defense, and goalkeeping that successful teams need to win, but in the end, Vancouver held their own against the Timbers, and the Caps will now get a chance to defend their championship title.

As I eluded to in my last posting, I wanted to post my thoughts about the successes and failures for the 2009 season, based strictly on the things I’ve observed. As I’ve gone through the various parts of this year, I found a lot more to be happy about than really be concerned with:

The Unbeaten Streak: Imagine playing matches over a 4-month period and not losing a match during that entire timeframe, doing enough to win or draw each time. The Timbers accomplished this feat, and in turn set a domestic unbeaten streak record. It’s difficult to keep such a streak going, with the various distractions, injuries, travel schedule, and mental fatigue, but the Timber managed to do this and bring a lot of attention to the team. It seemed the pressure of keeping the streak going started to weigh on the team later in the summer, but it’s something to be proud of.

New Talent Acquisitions: The Timbers have experienced past seasons where their bench was rather weak, where a single injury could completely derail their season. This year’s team had quite a deep bench, allowing 27 different players to log minutes for the team. Seventeen of those players logged points for the squad, while Steve Cronin and Brian Visser provided stability in the goal, which was an issue with the 2008 version of the Timbers. Many of these players are MLS quality players, which mean that the talent base for this season could provide a strong foundation for 2011 when we start MLS.

Timbers U-23 Team: I consider this a huge win for the Timbers moving forward, as it helps provide a wonderful training base for young, budding soccer talent. To build a successful team, you not only need to buy quality players that are committed to your system, but you must have a program that allows young players to play competitively while learning the nuances of the professional game. Prior to having a developmental team, our young players learned by practicing with the top squad, and playing only in certain games. Now, we have an arena where players can develop their skills in a competitive environment. The benefits are already apparent, as former U-23 players Rodrigo Lopez and Ivan Becerra joined the First Division team later in the year to help provide depth.

The MLS To PDX Effort: The plans to bring MLS to Portland can be counted as a success, as we are bringing the top level of American soccer to town, and putting Portland on the international sporting map. MLS, while not on the level of Serie A, the Premiership or the Bundesliga, is still quality soccer, and worldwide observers do pay attention to players and results on the MLS level. You will also see top-flight American talent visit Portland on a regular basis, which is huge for the growth of the game.

Increased Media Attention: There has been an explosion of media attention regarding the Timbers, including more blogs and airtime on local sports programs. While the Trail Blazers still maintain a strangle hold on the media outlets in town, the Timbers have gone from an afterthought to a team that is garnering more attention.

Timbers Management: Most of the above things don’t occur if you don’t have a committed leadership from top to bottom, and the Timbers have a leadership structure that understands the market here, and is doing a lot to build attention to the current Timbers and the upcoming MLS version. GM and Coach Gavin Wilkinson has an eye for finding quality talent, while owner Merritt Paulson has shown an unwavering commitment towards the future of soccer in Portland.

While the successes are many, there are still things that warrant attention:

Performance Against Certain Teams: While the Timbers did very well against most of the USL First Division, they continued to struggle against their bitter rivals from the Great White North. The Caps continue to dominate the series at home, and the Timbers must find a way to level this trend, as I think their strategy in the playoffs to play things conservatively didn’t do them many favors. The Timbers also struggled with teams this year that they should have dominated, including losing at home to Austin and Cleveland, two of the non-playoff teams from this season. They also drew twice in Minnesota, another non-playoff team, and I felt both results should have been wins. As with the Trail Blazers, the Timbers tended to play down to their competition at times, and it cost them points this season.

Substitution Pattern: I’m not a trained soccer coach, but there were points of the season where it was hard to figure out why certain players were being put in, while others languished on the bench. I’m not in practice daily, so my observations are strictly based on game play, but it seemed that with a deeper bench, I would have liked to see some players rested a bit more. It seemed like key players, such as David Hayes, wore down later in the season and some players could have used a bit more rest to help them get through the season.

Recovery From Injuries: It’s no secret that once Cameron Knowles went down to injury in August, the Timbers struggled in the back line. While I was happy that we had quality depth from the bench, it did appear that the team lost some focus once they lost a player. Injuries happen, and it’s important to remain committed to the overall plan. While I don't fault the overall team effort, it appeared at points some players had trouble adjusting to their new roles. Players need to have confidence in their skills, and it's important to be ready when your opportunity presents itself.

MLS had some struggles with some of the same issues but they are now experiencing strength in franchises, talent, television exposure, and soccer reputation worldwide. While Portland is moving up to MLS in 2011, they have remained committed to fielding a team and playing in 2010. The real question is what format will exist at that point, the current USL setup or something entirely different. Because we are using the USL seasons as a launching pad for MLS, it’s important that whatever league format exists, it needs to be against quality competition without costing too much in game operations or time commitment to be worthwhile.

The Timbers are being proactive in addressing some concerns. Per Wilkinson’s appearance on Strong at Night on 95.5 The Game last Thursday, he indicated that most of the team’s core is under contract for next season. The Timbers control the player’s rights, so they would be able to bring them back to Portland, or negotiate terms to allow the player to play elsewhere. Unlike other sports, FIFA and soccer foundations honor player contracts at the club level worldwide, so once a player is signed by a club, they retain the player’s rights. What this means is that Portland has long term player stability, something they have not enjoyed in previous seasons.

While Cronin will be playing with DC United on loan for the remainder of this season, and Mandjou Keita could be playing overseas during the winter, Wilkinson expects up to 15 familiar faces to be back with the Timbers next year. Having such a core group already in place really helps the continuity of any plan, building a foundation for the future. Even with some outstanding questions and concerns, there’s plenty to be optimistic about for the future of Timbers soccer.